Thicker Than Water
by skycloud86
Summary: Prequel to Alex:Redefined. Spoilers for Day Three.
1. Guardian Angel

_**Author's Note - This story is a prequel to another of my stories, Alex:Redefined. The events take place between Nina's return to CTU on Day Three and the events of Alex:Redefined. As far as this story goes, Day Three occurs (but isn't mentioned apart from the start), but Days Four and Five do not. Alex Myers is my OC.**_

**2.00am, CTU Los Angeles - Day Three**

Alex hung up the phone and walked up to Tony, to inform him that Jack and Nina had landed at Point Mugu. He looked over to Kim and saw that she was distracted, and Alex had a good idea why. It had been a strange night, what with the reappearance of Nina, the uncovering of the sting operation and the baby. Angela was a cute little kid, and everyone had been shocked to hear that she was Chase's child. Chloe had tried to keep Angela hidden, but that went out of the window after the baby started crying loudly, attracting the attention of Ryan Chappelle.

Chappelle was talking to a small group of agents about Amador and Alvers."Here's the situation; we believe Michael Amador is in possession of the Cordilla virus. We believe he is either headed to Los Angeles or he's here already. We estimate he has enough of the pathogen to take out a major metropolitan area. Our only lead is Nina Myers, who's being brought back to CTU right now. She thinks Amador is meeting with a man here in Los Angeles by the name of Marcus Alvers. Adam's done a workup on him". As he finished, Adam Kauffman began to speak.

"We have some background, but there's nothing that places him definitively in Los Angeles today". Chappelle looked annoyed.

"That's it? What about Interpol? What do they have on Alvers?"

"Our data tracking's a little behind, so we weren't able to access that report".

"Why are we behind?", an annoyed Chappelle questioned.

"We didn't update the European contact logs while I was down", Tony Almeida explained. Tony was the Special Agent in Charge at CTULA, but had been injured earlier in the day and had to relinquish control to Michelle Dessler, his Chief of Staff and wife. Everyone turned to Michelle for an explanation.

"I didn't think Europe was a priority", Michelle stated defensively, and Tony made one of his trademark faces at her.

"Obviously it was"

"There was a lot going on at the time". Michelle and Tony were great together in many different ways, but they often had their disagreements. Even so, their relationship was strong. Chappelle decided to bring things to a close.

"All right. Let's get back to work. And let's try to ease up on the mistakes for the rest of the night as there are millions of lives depending on us". As the agents filed out of the room, Tony wanted to speak to Michelle, but she was angry and ignored him.

"Michelle…".

"Kim, your father and Chase should be here soon", Alex informed her. She was sat at her computer hard at work. Looking up at him, she gave him a nod. He knew that she was nervous about Nina, and was about to walk back to his desk when he heard people arriving at CTU. Turning around, he locked eyes with his sister, and as Nina was taken past him and Kim, she glared at them, and Alex had to restrain himself from hitting her or talking to her. As far as he was concerned, his sister had died along with Teri and the Nina that existed was not the one he had grown up with. When Nina finally disappeared from view, Alex looked once more at Kim. She looked both relieved and anxious, before she spotted her father. Embracing Jack, she felt a million emotions run through her. Alex decided to give them a few minutes alone, and returned to his station.

Adam had watched Alex and Kim as Nina had been brought into CTU, and was beginning to understand why Alex was so protective of Kim. They had almost come to blows earlier that night, after Adam had criticised Kim unfairly. He had been informed by Chloe that Alex was Nina's brother, much to his shock, and this had made it all too clear to him why Alex acted almost as a big brother to Kim.

Alex watched as Adam worked on Kim's computer in order to let her see a live feed of Nina's interrogation. He wondered what Tony and Nina were saying and as he did, he looked at Nina, and wondered what she had done since the day of the nuke, since he had visited her in Tunisia, since she had slipped out of North Africa and returned to her old life of terrorism. CTU had no idea how or when she had escaped, but the last time that they knew she was in Africa had been almost a year ago. After a few minutes, Kim decided to close the live feed and both she and Alex returned to work.

A short while had passed, and Alex saw Tony walk by, covered in blood. Shocked, he walked up to where Tony was, and was told, along with Jack and Chappelle, that Nina had attempted suicide, much to Alex's disbelief. Jack grew angry as Tony told him that Nina was secure, obviously not believing him. He was proven right when the alarm sounded.

Alex saw Jack, Tony and Chappelle running towards Medical, and decided to follow them. As they entered the room where Nina was being treated, they were shocked at the sight of dead bodies. All of the medical staff, bar one shocked nurse, had been murdered, and she pointed them in Nina's direction. As Alex ran down the corridor, gun in hand, he thought of Jack, and realised that the vengeance that Jack had craved since Teri's murder was probably going to happen that night. Not sure of whether he wanted Jack to kill Nina or not, he noticed Nina, who was holding a gun, and talking to someone. As he snuck behind Nina, he was shocked to see Kim, who was pointing a gun at Nina. Kim noticed him and silently pleaded to Alex with her eyes. Alex stepped out of the shadow and trained his gun on Nina.

"Nina, put the gun down! Put it down NOW!", he commanded her. It obviously worked as Nina slowly lowered her gun and sank to her knees in surrender. As she did so, Alex looked at Kim, who was looking around nervously.

"Kim, go back into CTU and tell them where Nina is". Kim hesitated at first, before running off down the same corridor she had come into the room by. Alex walked closer to Nina, before pulling her up by her arm, whilst contemplating his next action. What he did next would change his life forever.

"Nina, you have to trust me", he whispered into her ear. A look of shock and confusion grew on Nina's face as Alex ushered her down a corridor. Explaining that there was a new fire escape nearby, Alex walked up to it and shot off the chain that kept the door locked. Opening the door, they walked into the underground garage, where Nina had been caught by Jack on the day she was originally arrested. Alex ran towards his car and told Nina to get in. As they sped off, Alex noticed that Nina's look of confusion had been replaced by one of suspicion, and he wondered if she thought it was a trap.

_**2:59:57**_

_**2:59:58**_

_**2:59:59**_

_**3:00:00**_


	2. Escape From Los Angeles

**3.00am, CTU Los Angeles - Day Three**

As Jack, Tony and Chappelle ran into the room where Kim had cornered Nina, they found no one. The only thing out of the ordinary was a gun, lying on the floor. Jack picked it up and identified it as a standard issue CTU firearm. He thought to himself for a few minutes, before coming to a worrying conclusion.

"I think Nina's taken Alex hostage", he stated. He stood up and started to walk back into CTU.

"What are we going to do about it, Jack?", Tony queried. He was worried for his friend and hoped that Nina didn't kill him.

Kim ran to Jack as soon as she saw him."Dad, what happened? Where's Alex and Nina?", she questioned him, hoping that Nina had been caught without any blood being spilt.

"I can't tell you, Kim. We're going to look at the cameras, see if we can find out where they've gone", Jack spoke with obvious worry in his voice.

"What do you mean, Dad? Has she got Alex?". Kim was beginning to panic. Alex was like a brother to her, and she had already lost someone close to her at the hands of Nina. She followed Jack and a few others into the conference room, where Chloe was busy accessing the camera footage for the control room, where Nina had been caught.

"We need to see the footage for around 2.55am, Chloe", Chappelle said. They watched the video as first Kim then Alex appeared in the room, and there was silence in the room. As Kim left the screen, Jack watched even closely, knowing just how dangerous Nina was and curious as to how she had managed to trick Alex.

"Wait, where is he taking her? Quick, change cameras!", Jack's voice was getting louder and angrier, and everyone else in the room grew nervous. They were all just as confused as Jack was, and as Chloe changed cameras, their confusion was answered with the truth. Alex had helped Nina escape. Jack's eyes widened with anger.

"DAMMIT!", he yelled, making quite a few people jump. He was leaving the room, when Tony grabbed his arm.

"Jack, we need to stop the virus right now. We can get them later!", he told Jack, hoping to calm him down.

"Fine, but as soon as that damn virus is destroyed and people brought to justice, I'm going to hunt them both down!", his voice almost a snarl as he tried to control himself. The angry Jack was an obvious contrast to Kim, who was sat in silence and looked almost catatonic. Kim could not contemplate Alex helping Nina escape, and felt as if that night when her mother died was playing in her head all over again.

**3.20am, a road in Los Angeles - Day Three**

Nina awoke from her nap and groaned as she felt the pain of her neck injury again. For a moment, she had no idea where she was until she noticed her brother, and she realised what he had done. Shocked, she stared straight ahead for a few minutes, before turning to face Alex.

"Thank you", she whispered hoarsely. She didn't know why Alex had helped her escape, and wasn't that bothered about his motive, especially as her suspicions had gone. Looking out of the window, she saw the streets of Los Angeles that had once been familiar, where she had once travelled to work at CTU. Deciding not to think about her life as a federal agent, or about Jack, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Ever alert, Nina usually hated sleeping in moving vehicles, but this time, she actually felt safe.

As they continued on their escape from Los Angeles, Alex thought about what he had just done, and contemplated the possible consequences. Knowing that he couldn't turn back now, he tried to forget Jack and Kim Bauer, tried to forget CTU. His life as a federal agent was well and truly over, and his life as a fugitive and traitor had just begun.


	3. Endless Paranoia

The sun had now risen, and the sky was a clear blue and devoid of clouds. As they drove through the desert, Alex wondered where exactly he was headed, having no real idea where he should go. Not that it mattered anyway - soon, pretty much every law enforcement agency in the country would be informed about them, if they weren't already, and Alex had no intention of going to jail for the rest of his life. Sighing quietly to himself, he pulled over to the roadside and took a map out of the glove compartment. Tracing a finger along the route had taken, he concluded that they were somewhere west of San Jacinto. Nudging Nina gently, he waited until she was fully awake.

"We're somewhere outside of San Jacinto, Nina. Do you have any idea where we're supposed to go, what we're supposed to do?", he questioned, hoping that Nina had some sort of plan.

"I thought I would still be in Mexico this morning, Alex, so I have no idea. I say we just head east, and I'll try and get in touch with one of my contacts. I know someone in Palm Springs who can help us", Nina stated. She was now back to her usual self, and just wanted to get away from Jack Bauer. Having been on the run for a few years, she was used to such a lifestyle, but she was concerned for Alex. He had sacrificed so much to help her, and couldn't help but feel a little guilty, a novelty for her, as by her own admission she wasn't the most empathetic person around.

At CTU, Adam was busy sending out descriptions of Alex and Nina to the FBI, police and Interpol. Disturbed by how sudden Alex had turned, he was determined to help find the siblings. As he stared at the faces of Alex and Nina on the posters he had created, he wondered what would drive a person to just betray everyone and everything they had once held dear. Looking around the office, he could sense the mood was dark. The virus threat was still a huge risk, and the treachery of Alex Myers was still fresh on everyone's mind.

Nina had just finished telling Alex her side of the story about what had happened in Mexico the night before. Her voice had changed numerous times - one minute she would be upset, the next angry. Feeling sympathetic towards his sister, Alex smiled at her.

"You don't need to worry about Jack or what happened in Mexico anymore, Nina", he assured her. She returned his smile, a sad look in her eye.

"I hope so, Alex", she replied quietly, determined that Jack would never so much as catch a glimpse of her again.

"Hows the neck wound?", Alex asked. When he heard about her apparent suicide attempt, he had realised just how desperate Nina was.

"Sore, but tolerable", she said, gently rubbing the bandage that covered the scar. Suicide was actually the last thing on her mind when she forced the needle further into her neck, and she knew that it was a big risk by doing so. As they had carried her into Medical and begun treating her, she had put the next phase of her escape plan into action. Having fooled the doctors, and Tony, into thinking she was sedated, she slowly opened her eyes and took her chance. She punched the closest doctor, before grabbing the gun that was on the table nearby and, with no hesitation, she shot dead all but one of the medical staff. The woman she left, a nurse, wasn't chosen for any reason, but Nina had decided not to waste any more time, or bullets.

Stopping at a gas station, Alex parked up on the roadside and asked Nina if she needed anything. As he walked into the store, he looked around nervously. The place was empty except for him and the store clerk behind the till. Walking around slowly, he grabbed a few items before heading to the clerk. His heart skipped a beat, however, when a cop walked into the store. Taking a quick glance at the officer, Alex tried not to draw attention to himself. Noticing that his hand was shaking slightly as he paid, he hoped that he didn't look suspicious. It was only when he had gotten back into the car that he calmed down and, as he drove off, it dawned on him just how much his life had changed in the last few hours.

Jack was at the hospital, waiting anxiously for news on Chase's condition. They had succeeded in stopping the virus threat, but Chase had had to attach the last device to his arm to prevent it falling back into the hands of the courier. Jack had had to amputate Chase's hand in order to free him from the device, and had managed to isolate the virus in time before the device released it. He knew that there was a good chance that the hand would be successfully reattached, and he also knew that Chase's career as a CTU field agent was over. The irony of the situation was not lost on Jack - the day before, when Jack first heard about Chase and Kim's relationship, Jack had been reluctant to let Chase go into the field in order to protect Kim from losing another person she loved, and now he had inadvertently prevented Chase from ever doing field work again. He knew that Chase wouldn't blame him or be bitter about it, but he couldn't help but feel that Chase was just another person he had failed. His thoughts turned to Alex and Nina, and he wondered if the Myers family were genetically predisposed to treason. Trying to conjure up a possible motive for Alex's betrayal, he found no answer that satisfied him. He had immediately believed that Alex had been taken hostage by Nina, and had not even contemplated the possibility that Alex had helped Nina escape until he saw it on the camera footage. He recollected the times when he could have killed Nina, and thought of the consequences of not doing so. If he had killed her at the construction site, Teri would still be alive. If he had shot her in Visalia, their unplanned rendezvous in Mexico would never have happened. He thought of butterflies and hurricanes, and thought of the winds that would be born out of this particular flap of wings.

As they arrived in Palm Springs, Nina directed Alex towards the address of her contact, a woman known only as Martina. Pulling up in front of a small house, they parked up in the driveway, which was otherwise empty, and as they walked up to the door, Nina explained to Alex that Martina was more than trustworthy and could get them out of the country within hours. When the door opened, a short woman in her fourties, with red hair and intense green eyes appeared. Speaking in what could only be described a thick Southern accent, she gestured to the siblings to go inside. The house was spartan, with little furniture or decoration. There was a distinct odour throughout the building, and what little furniture there was was old and deteriorating. Alex concluded that it was some sort of meeting place rather than an actual home. Martina and Nina was now deep in conversation, and Martina would occasionally glance over at Alex. When the conversation ended, Martina left the room and Nina went up to Alex.

"She says that she can get us fake documents and transport to São Paulo by this evening", Nina informed him. She was slightly anxious, however, as Martina seemed suspicious of Alex. This anxiety was fed even more when Martina rushed into the room brandishing a gun.

"What the hell is this, Nina?! You think I'm stupid or something, bringing a fed here?!". Nina tried to calm her down.

"Martina, calm down! He helped me escape, he's not trying to trick you!".

"She's right, Martina. I'm a fugitive now. You've got to trust me, OK?", Alex assured her. Martina thought about this for a minute, before lowering her gun and letting out a quiet chuckle.

"Heh, I'm sorry. Guess I got a little paranoid and all"

"No harm done, Martina", Alex replied, much to Nina's relief. She knew that Martina often got very paranoid and Nina was beginning to regret telling her about Jack's trickery down in Mexico the night before. Deciding to forget the incident, Nina changed the subject.

"So, will it be the usual price?", the usual price being quite a high figure, as Martina's ways of getting such documents were quite high risk.

"Yeah, yeah", Martina replied. She had put the gun away and was now sat down at the table, typing away at a laptop.

Jack was walking back into CTU and in his mind, he could hear the voices of Alex and Nina. Although he couldn't tell what they were saying, the tone of their voices was one of mockery. Trying to block them out, he decided to talk to Chloe. Chloe O'Brien was one of CTU's best technicians, and had become a good friend of Jack's. She had been the toast of CTU the night before when she had defeated Nina's worm, a feat which had seemed almost impossible. She gave him a quick smile as he arrived at her workstation.

"Hello, Jack. How's Chase?"

"He's fine. The doctors told me that his hand was successfully reattached, but that it might take a few months before they know if he'll regain the use of it"

"Kim must be pretty upset?"

"Yeah, she's still at the hospital", Jack replied, his voice breaking slightly. He hated seeing Kim so distraught, and hoped that the events of the past day would not traumatise her for long.


	4. Conversations

_**One week later...**_

Just like the last few days, Sao Paulo was hot and sunny. Both Alex and Nina wore sunglasses, to disguise themselves as well as protect their eyes from the relentless sunshine. Nina muttered to herself as they walked down Rua Aurora towards the Castelar, a fancy modern hotel where they were to meet someone. Nina had been keeping quiet about the person they had an appointment with, and it had been impossible for Alex not to notice Nina's nervousness about the meeting. He hoped that nothing would go wrong, but he knew that his life was now far more dangerous and unpredictable than it had ever been before the escape.

Nina and Alex had found the room, and Nina knocked gently on the door. As the door slowly opened, Alex was shocked at just who was stood behind it. No one who had met her would forget her fast - her hair was jet black and flowed down to her waist, her eyes were azure pools and her skin was like porcelain. There, half-naked and half-asleep, stood Mandy.

In Los Angeles, the sun had just risen and most people were waking up. Kim Bauer, however, was not one of them. For the past week she had hardly slept and, when she finally did nod off, she would dream only about Alex and Nina Myers. She would hear their voices, see their faces and relive both the night of Nina's escape and the night of her mother's murder. Chase had begged her to see a psychiatrist, but she had refused to do so. Kim went into the bathroom and, for a short while, stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were tired and had huge bags underneath, her blonde hair was all messed up and she looked years older than usual. A tear fell slowly down her cheek as she contemplated just how she was going to come to terms with the escape.

Mandy was perched on the edge of the bed, whilst Alex and Nina sat on a couch nearby. For a couple of minutes, they engaged in small talk, discussing what they had been doing and other rather mundane subjects. Finally, Nina cleared her throat and turned to Alex.

"Alex, I and Mandy have something to tell you", she stated. Curious but alert, Alex hoped that whatever was about to be revealed would be good news.

"What is it?", he replied with a rather flat tone.

"Mandy...Mandy is our sister, Alex", Nina revealed, with a look on her face that told Alex that Nina was relieved to have finally confessed such a fact, and he stared at her in utter disbelief.

"What? How? How long have you known?". The questions almost flowed out of Alex's mouth, and he decided to stop asking them in order to receive an answer.

"Remember back in 1980, when Mom and Dad went away for a year?", Nina said. Mr and Mrs Myers had gone on a year-long trip to New York, and had never talked about it to Alex and Nina and, as far as the siblings were concerned, nothing out of the ordinary had happened on the trip.

"Well, they were visiting a couple called George and Penny Stapleton in New York. They couldn't have children of their own, so... Mom and Dad sort of acted like surrogate parents and the Stapletons adopted their daughter, Miranda.", Nina finished, looking at Mandy as she did.

The conversation that followed the revelation was certainly memorable, and the three siblings talked for hours. Afterwards, as Alex and Nina left the hotel, he tried to understand that yet another sibling of his was a terrorist, a ruthless killer who would offer her services to the highest bidder. He hoped that terrorist activity was not something that members of the Myers family were genetically predisposed to.

Driving towards their hideout, Nina's phone rang and, after checking to see who was calling her, answered. Listening quietly as her contact inside CTU confirmed a rumour she had heard a few days before, her face revealed to Alex that the news wasn't what Nina had hoped to hear. With an emotionless goodbye, she hung up.

"It's true, then", Nina said, catching Alex's attention.

"What is?"

"Tony is being charged with treason". A hint of sadness was evident in her voice as she spoke. Yes, she had just been using Tony back when she was still a CTU agent and back when she was in a relationship with him, if it could be considered a relationship, but she had had some feelings for him. The irony of Nina being free and Tony being in jail was not lost on either of the two siblings, and Nina resolved to find out more about the case.

Chase was sat down on the couch, staring at his left hand. Although the operation to reattach it had been fully successful, he did still did not have anywhere near full use or control of his hand and at times it would hurt like hell. He traced his finger gently around the scar on his forearm, and shivered slightly at the sensation. On his palm, there was a large mark where the bullet had sliced through and where he had had to cauterise the resulting wound. Hoping to forget what had gone down in Mexico that night, he sighed and reached for his beer, intending to block out the painful memories with cheap alcohol.


	5. Alpha And Omega

_**One week later...**_

It was a sombre but reflective event, and Jack hoped that Gael appreciated the gesture. He was one of the many attendees of Gael Ortega's funeral in Detroit, the ceremony being held in a beautiful old Catholic church close to the heart of the city. The pews were full of Gael's family and friends, including a small contingent from CTULA and Langley, where Gael had worked before he joined CTU. Jack fondly remembered his friend and his noble sacrifice, and thanked him for his selfless actions. Gael's widow, Theresa, was bravely standing in front of the large congregation and talking about Gael in heavily accented Spanish. Jack was glad that no charges were to be filed against Theresa for the murder of Stephen Saunders, but he couldn't help but feel guilty about the events that had occurred on that chaotic day. Operation Nightfall had haunted him ever since he had come back from Kosovo, and he assumed that Saunders had been too, but he would never have imagined Saunders engaging in terrorist activity. Stephen was a patriot, loyal to his country and had been an upstanding and honourable man, but his experiences in Serbia had fundamentally changed him and the Stephen Saunders that Jack had once known was long gone before the events of that day.

Michelle stared through the plexiglass barrier and smiled as his olive-complexioned face lit up at the sight of her. Tony looked tired and he had not shaved in days, but the warm smile he gave her and his expressive brown eyes never changed, and she knew that they would get through it. She lifted up the receiver from the cradle mounted on the wall and, for a few sweet moments, they gazed at each other without making a sound. Michelle was the first to break the silence.

"How are you, Tony?". She looked into his eyes and hoped that he would be truthful and not hide anything from her. Not now, when they were forced to be apart from one another.

"As good as the circumstances allow me to be", Tony replied, his voice tired but still possessing his Midwestern accent.

"I've spoken to our lawyer, and she says that we've got a good case and the judge will probably be lenient". Neither Michelle or Tony, or anyone they knew, thought that Tony should spend even a day in jail. His actions that day were not the malicious treachery of a terrorist, or the greedy treason of a conspirator, but the reluctant act of someone who was forced to betray his country for the woman he loved.

Alex and Nina were sat in a cafe in the middle of Munich, drinking coffee and talking. Nina had been amused by how much Alex depended on her in Germany, as he didn't speak a word of German, whilst the talented linguist Nina could speak it like a native. Eventually, the conversation came to the day of Teri's murder and Nina's failed exfiltration from CTU. This was a very emotive subject, and both Alex and Nina harboured strong feelings about that day and the events which took place.

"If you had managed to escape from CTU that day, what would you have done?", Alex enquired. He knew very little about Nina's plans, although he was aware that Germany was her intended destination.

"I would have come here, to Munich, for a few days before being relocated. If I were to be honest, you and CTU would probably have never seen or heard of me again", Nina admitted. Nina herself wasn't sure what her employers would have had planned for her, but she knew that undercover work would have been out of the question due to her exposure. She didn't like to speculate on what could have been, preferring to plan out the future rather an alternative present, and so the conversation was steered towards a more agreeable subject.


	6. Broken Hearts, Shattered Dreams

_**2 and a half months after Chapter Five**_

_**3 months after Day Three**_

_**4 years, 7 months before Day Six**_

Tony was nervous as he listened to the judge speaking to the court. He had been found guilty of treason, and now was waiting to find out his sentence. To Tony, it wasn't the loss of freedom that worried him, it was being separated from Michelle that terrified him, and when the judge sentenced him to seven months in jail, Tony felt it was a bittersweet moment. A few months was nothing compared to the sentence he could have got, but it was still seven months without Michelle. As Tony was led out of the courtroom, his eyes met Michelle's, and as they smiled at one another, Tony promised himself not to give up.

The sun was now setting, and the sky was a palette of blues, pinks and orange. Jack was crouched down next to Teri's grave, visiting her for what seemed like the first time in months. Tracing his finger over the words engraved in the stone, he allowed himself to cry silently. There he remained until the sun had vanished and the silver light of the moon illuminated the graveyard.

As the sun rose once more, Alex and Nina were in the small village of Ottersberg, on the outskirts of Munich. Standing in the cool shade of an oak tree, they were waiting to meet a man named Jurgen. It was to be a simple affair in which Nina would exchange money for information. Even so, they were still alert and both carried guns concealed on their bodies just in case the deal went wrong. As a black BMW pulled up, Nina glanced at the occupants and a small, blond man climbed out of the back of the car. Introducing himself as Jurgen Faber, he stared at the pair with beady hazel eyes.

"This is gonna have to be quick", Jurgen spoke in heavily accented English.

"That's fine with me", Nina replied. The information she was hoping to acquire from Jurgen was of great importance to her employers, and they had made it quite clear to Nina that they would not tolerate another failure. They had made their displeasure at her failure to get the Cordilla virus quite clear to her, and she knew that they would be keeping a close eye on her to ensure success. As they completed the deal, sirens could be heard distantly. Not waiting around to get caught, Jurgen dashed back into his car, which sped off down the country lane, and Alex and Nina ran into the woods, running between huge oak trees and jumping over exposed roots. Their car was parked on the other side of the woods, but they hadn't expected the authorities to find out about the deal. Reaching the car and jumping in, they didn't waste time catching their breath and they drove off back into Munich.

Chase was sat in the Special Agent in Charge's office, waiting for her, Erin Driscoll, to come in. He had come to a decision regarding his future at CTU and knowing that such a future consisted of a desk job, he had decided to quit CTU. As Erin entered her office, she gave him a sympathetic smile. She had heard all about the events of the Cordilla virus threat, and it was one of her main tasks as SAiC to clean up the mess left in its wake. Part of this mess was to decide the fate of Jack Bauer and as Chase walked out of CTU, Jack was coming in. She took a deep breath as he climbed the steel staircase slowly, and as he entered, she gave him the same sympathetic smile she had given to chase minutes earlier.

"Take a seat, Jack", she offered, hoping to keep the meeting quick and simple.

"I have a pretty good idea why I'm here, Erin, so let's cut to the chase", Jack said, his voice raspier than usual. Erin studied a piece of paper before replying.

"Jack, you know I have to make a decision and it's hard to say this, but I'm gonna have to fire you", she spoke with a firm but fair voice. Jack was not exactly surprised by this news. As he stood up and turned around to leave, Erin spoke once more.

"If you need any help finding a new job, CTU will assist you in any way possible", she stated. Jack turned around, and stared at her.

"I can find my own fucking job, thank you!", he spoke loudly and made no attempt to hide his true feelings about CTU. Erin simply nodded and watched as he left her office, hoping that Jack would get his life back on track.


	7. Feelings

_**9 and a half months after Chapter Six**_

_**1 year after Day Three**_

_**3 years, 10 months before Day Six**_

After almost a year in Munich, the city was becoming familiar and Alex's German skills were much improved. People were becoming more familiar as well, and their neighbours in the bleak apartment block that they lived in were oblivious as to who the siblings really were. To them, Alex and Nina were Alex and Nina Schwartz, Americans born to German parents who had come to live in Munich for a while. The siblings had decided to lie low for a while before moving on, and so far they had succeeded. After the arrest of Jurgen Faber, they had been anxious, but he had been found dead in his cell one night. The official cause of death was suicide, but Nina knew that her employers had most likely gotten to him.

Chase slammed the front door on his way out, only for it to be almost immediately pulled open by Kim. They had just had a huge argument and both were angry and unable to control their temper. As Chase got into his car, Kim shouted at him from the front door and, as he drove off, the anger in her died down and she began to cry. As hot tears ran down her reddened face, she knelt down at the door and wondered where it had all gone wrong. The argument was not their first, and it certainly wasn't the worst, but there had been no starting point, no trigger. It was if the argument had descended upon them and enveloped them in an atmosphere of tension and violent thoughts.

Another door was slammed shut, this time in Munich. Alex had almost dived back into the apartment after noticing the mysterious American that had been hanging around for days. Alex and Nina assumed that he was CIA and therefore Munich was no longer safe for them. Watching Nina as she paced the apartment, phone almost glued to her ear, he was stood near the door, with a gun at the ready, fully prepared to shoot the CIA agent if he tried to break in. Finally, Nina hung up and approached Alex.

"OK, I've got us some transportation to Chicago", she stated, her voice full of anxiety, which was a rarity when it came to Nina. Alex looked at her, confused.

"Chicago? Are you sure we should be going back to the States?". Alex wondered if returning to the US was a bad idea, but had no choice but to follow Nina. He was a fugitive and Nina gave him some sort of security. Take her away and chances were that he would be quickly captured.

"The authorities won't be looking for us there, will they? Our only problem right now is that agent", looking at the door as she spoke. Nina wasn't afraid of a solitary CIA agent, but she still wanted to be careful. US government agencies such as the CIA were very powerful and had great resources at their disposal.

"All the stuff is in the car", Alex confirmed as Nina cocked her gun. They walked slowly towards the door, and Alex carefully opened it, before examining the corridor. Finding it to be empty, he hid the gun and gestured to Nina to follow him. As they descended down the stairs, something spooked them and Nina twirled around, gun at the ready."It's just a cat!", Alex laughed as Nina slowly lowered her gun, a relieved smile on her face.

CTU Los Angeles had joined much of the populace of the city and indulged in some plastic surgery. The dull, dark CTU had been replaced with plenty of light, posh workstations with deep red tops and a fresh new look. It certainly did not have any resemblance to it's former self, and the renovation was a sad indicator that the terror business had grown. Erin looked around the new bullpen and was satisfied with the makeover. It was like a fresh start for CTU, one without Jack Bauer, one that wasn't a constant reminder of the terrible events that had happened over the last few years.


	8. Whispers

_**5 months after Chapter Seven**_

_**1 year, 5 months after Day Three**_

_**3 years, 5 months before Day Six**_

Alex and Nina had been in Chicago for five uneventful months and had found a quiet suburban house to live in. They had decided to use the surname Bauer, much to their own amusement, and it seemed like the feds had no idea where they were. The dull streak of their stay in Chicago came to an abrupt end when they were involved in a car crash, which left Alex needing medical help. Hesitant to go to a hospital, they had fled their totalled car and were now in a dark alley, debating their next move.

Kim was sat in the psychiatrists office, bored out of her mind. He was a typical shrink, and seemed more interested in labelling her than treating her. Jumping on Kim's argument with Chase a few months earlier, he had gone on about hidden tensions and subconcious desires, and Kim had lost interest long before the end of the session.

"That concludes this week's session, Kim. Are you available the same time next week?", the doctor enquired. He had seen her three times now, and Kim still didn't feel any better, even though he was supposed to be one of the better shrinks in the Los Angeles area.

"Yeah, I think so. Look, could I bring Chase next time?". Kim thought that having Chase there would help somewhat, and part of her wanted him to see just how boring and unhelpful the guy really was. After all, it had been his idea and, after they had made up after the argument, she had promised him that she would give his suggestion some thought.

Things had gone from bad to worse for Alex and Nina. They had gone into a nearby clinic and Nina was now holding a gun to the head of a doctor, who looked absolutely terrified.

"This is the deal, doc. You fix my brother's injuries, and you get to live". Nina wasn't joking around, and the doctor nodded quickly. Nina's eyes studied his actions carefully, whilst listening out for anyone approaching the room they were in. As he finished, the doctor moved back, his eyes locked onto Nina's gun and as they left the room, Nina gave him a warning glare.

"We were never here", she informed him coldly as she left the room. Walking quickly through the clinic, Alex and Nina realised that once again they would have to move. It wasn't too big of a deal as they had little possessions and it was mostly arranging transportation. Walking into the cold dusk, Alex hailed a cab and they climbed in. Examining his bandaged arm, Alex listened as Nina explained that they would cross into Mexico via San Diego, and then would carry onto Mexico City.

This was not the cosy life that Tony had dreamed about, far from it. As he took a huge mouthful of beer from his beloved Cubs mug, he could only hope that the alcohol would help him in some way. Michelle had grown sick of his new found love for alcohol, and had left him. He had remained hopeful that the relationship could be saved, until that day when she visited with divorce papers, the day when his world well and truly took a huge blow. Now all he did was drink beer, watch baseball and eat takeaway pizza and Chinese on alternate days, a big change to the old Tony, who ate healthily. Setting the mug down on the coffee table, his bloodshot eyes wandered over to a picture of him and Michelle. He couldn't remember when or where the picture was taken, but he could tell from the relaxed faces and big grins that the photograph was a memory of an happier time.


	9. Heart And Soul

_**5 months after Chapter Eight**_

_**1 year, 10 months after Day Three**_

_**3 years before Day Six**_

Now in Mexico City, Alex and Nina had arranged to meet Mandy once again. The three siblings were stood in the parking lot of a hotel and had taken careful measures to ensure that noone else knew of the meeting. There was no real purpose for the rendezvous, but Mandy did have a request for Alex and Nina. She had been in Mexico for months and had been waiting for a package from her employers. That package, as she found out to her great surprise, contained a bomb that would have killed her had it not been damaged during delivery. She had therefore cut all ties with her employers and had been lying low in Mexico, hoping that her old bosses believed her to be dead.

"I'm gonna need a favour from you two, OK?", Mandy asked. She was nervous and kept looking around the quiet and almost empty parking lot.

"And what would this favour be?", Nina replied. She didn't mind helping out Mandy, but she knew that she had to be careful to keep any help fairly low profile and not let either her employers or Mandy's former bosses hear of it. Mandy took out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Nina, who studied it for a minute.

"What's to be found at this address, Mandy?", she asked. The address in question was located in Chalco, a city in the eastern part of the Mexico City metropolitan area.

"A man, Miguel Ramirez. He's sorta like the guy my bosses sent to make sure I'm dead". Nina furrowed her brow slightly.

"What's that got to do with us?", she queried, although she had a pretty good idea of what the favour would be.

"I need him dead. By tonight. I don't care how or who, but I need you to arrange it", Mandy replied.

"You can't do this yourself, huh? What's in it for us?", Nina responded somewhat angrily. She didn't give a damn about this Ramirez character, but she did give a damn about not attracting the wrong kind of attention, the sort of attention that got people thrown in jail. Mandy frowned, and she looked almost betrayed.

"A million each. Come on, Nina, I need your help!", Mandy pleaded. Nina relented and asked for a minute to speak to Alex, and Mandy walked off, lighting a cigarette as she did.

"What do ya think, Alex? Million dollars each to get rid of one guy?", she asked. Nina had hoped not to drag Alex too far into the murky waters of terrorism, but the offer of so much money for doing something that, to her, was simple. Alex looked pensive for a moment before he replied.

"I dunno, Nina. If I agree to this, how we gonna go about doing it?", he questioned. Alex didn't really have any strong feelings about the whole situation. The death of a terrorist didn't really bother him, but killing someone for financial gain and putting himself in danger of getting caught? Nina noticed how deep in thought he was and spoke to him to get his attention.

"Look, you won't have to do anything except drive the car. I'll do the dirty work. That OK with you?", she offered. Nina had killed people for far less than a million dollars before, and taking someone's life was not a huge problem for her. Alex nodded in agreement and Nina gestured to Mandy to come back, to sort out the details.

Jack was at home, relaxing. He had just finished another day working for Secretary of Defence Heller and had come home to his cosy Washington DC apartment to enjoy a peaceful Thursday night. He sat down on the sofa and, whilst swigging from a cold can of beer, he watched television. As the night sky grew darker, he decided to shut the curtains and, as he did, a crushing pain suddenly attacked his chest. Falling to his knees in pain, he realised that he was having an heart attack and, even though he could hardly breathe, he managed to grab his phone and dial 911.

It was night in Mexico, and Alex was sat in the car just outside of the house of Miguel Ramirez. He had watched with some anxiety as Nina had picked the lock of the front door before entering with her silenced gun cocked and ready. Wondering if he could really accept being an accessory to murder, he recalled Nina's plan. She would gain access to the house and find Ramirez, shoot him dead and take a picture of his newly deceased corpse to give to Mandy as proof, all within a deadline of 5 minutes. It had been four minutes since Nina had gone inside when she came out of the door, a satisfied grin on her face as she walked towards the car and, as they drove off, Nina called Mandy to announce the passing of Miguel Ramirez.

Jack was in the hospital, asleep in bed. He had been lucky, as the heart attack was a fairly minor one, but the doctors wanted to run some tests and wanted to keep him overnight for observation. The paramedics had been quick to respond to his call, and therefore had managed to prevent any real damage to his heart, although he had lost conciousness once of twice on the journey to the hospital.


	10. Bullets, Babies And Betrothals

_**2 months after Chapter Nine**_

_**2 years after Day Three**_

_**2 years, 10 months before Day Six**_

"Tony?", a familiar voice called his name over the phone. Tony, who had been half-asleep and was now wide awake, couldn't believe it. Michelle was calling him and she didn't sound angry or disappointed.

"Yeah?", he replied, trying not to reveal his joy at hearing her voice once more.

"I need to talk to you, but not over the phone. Can I come over there?". There was a tone to her voice that Tony couldn't place, and theories as to what she wanted to talk about flooded his mind.

"Ok. What time?"

"Sometime this afternoon?".

"Sounds fine, Michelle". After exchanging goodbyes and hanging up, Tony rushed around his apartment like a madman, clearing away empty cans and takeaway boxes. If Michelle wanted to come round and talk, then he wanted the place to look good for her.

It wasn't an ordinary street in Mexico City, far from it. It was the place where the criminal underworld congregated, and Alex and Nina were walking down it, trying to get information. They had heard rumours of a third Salazar brother and, after the chaos in Las Nieves, Nina wanted to make sure that this Salazar would not cause her any problems. As they approached the man they had come to meet, shots rang out and people starting running in all directions. Alex and Nina looked around quickly and discovered the federales who were stood just metres away from them. Drawing their guns, they hid behind a car and shot at the federales, aiming not to kill, but to disable. Others joined in and soon there was a full-scale street battle. As the bullets flew through the air and Spanish curses littered the atmosphere, Alex and Nina decided to get the hell out of there. Keeping low, they managed to reach their car and, as they drove off, they fired a few farewell shots.

As Tony opened the door, the first thing he saw was Michelle's deep brown eyes. the second was the small bump on her stomach. Inviting her inside, he found himself having a very clear idea of what Michelle wanted to talk about. Offering her a drink before they sat down, Tony thought of what to say to Michelle, before she spoke first.

"Tony, I know I filed for divorce and we've been apart now for months, but there's something that changes everything, that makes me want to give our marriage another chance. I'm pregnant, Tony, and you're the father". Her eyes gleamed at him as she spoke, and Tony realised what he had to do.

"I want a second chance, Michelle, and I want to change for the better. I'll give up alcohol, I'll find a job. I love you too much to pass on this chance to be with you again".

Nina chucked the phone onto her bed in anger. Their contact had been killed in the shootout, and the information he would have given her was invaluable to her, especially as it concerned a Salazar. Although she had been shocked at Hector's death at the hands of his own brother, she didn't feel any sympathy for them. They were, to her, nothing more than greedy small-time criminals who tried to be something they weren't. The events of that night were still fresh in her memory, as if they had happened just hours before. She promised herself that if the chance ever came to get revenge on Jack Bauer, she would take it.

It was now night-time in Los Angeles, and the full moon peered shyly over the clouds as Kim and Chase walked along the beach. It had been a perfect night for the couple, and they were now enjoying the mild ocean breeze. Chase stopped where he stood for a minute and looked up at the moon.

"Kim? I got something I wanna ask you", he said, catching her attention. As she smiled at him, he kneeled down and looked straight into her eyes.

"It's a perfect night, and I'm spending it with the perfect woman. Kim, I love you so much. Will you marry me?", he said, much to Kim's surprise. Holding back tears, she replied.

"Yes, Chase, I will!", at which Chase stood up and kissed her, two lovers united in the moonlight.


	11. Meetings

_**1 year after Chapter Ten**_

_**3 years after Day Three**_

_**1 year, 10 months before Day Six**_

"So, this is where he lives?", Alex enquired. They had finally discovered the third Salazar brother, Esteban, and were now plotting their revenge attack. It would have to be quick, but long enough for Salazar to know exactly who they were and why he was going to die at their hands. Although Alex had been reluctant to join in with the violence, this was one person who he certainly would show no mercy to. To Alex, Esteban Salazar was nothing more than scum, a drug dealer whose family had almost got his sister killed.

"Yeah, on the top floor", Nina replied, as she cocked her gun. Walking through the apartment block would be easy enough at first, but if they were caught then it would be difficult to escape the building alive.

"Knock or kick?", Nina debated to herself aloud, before deciding on kick. Her foot made contact with the door and it splintered apart easily. Guns at the ready, the siblings started to search for Salazar, who decided to make himself known by rushing out of his bedroom brandishing a gun. It would be of no use to him, though, as Alex shot him in the shoulder, causing him to fall to the floor. He approached the injured criminal and kicked the gun away.

Meanwhile, outside the building, a van had pulled up. Inside were three FBI agents - Alton Maxwell, Jason Blaine and a man known only as Ocho. Having heard the gunshot, they decided not to waste time and rushed into the building. As they approached Salazar's apartment, they noticed the smashed door and decided to approach with caution. Hearing three voices, two of which had American accents, they entered the building and saw Salazar being held against the wall by his neck. Jason Baline looked at the three people inside the apartment before realising just who the two Americans were.

"Nina and Alex Myers, come to finish off the Salazar family I see?", he commented, catching their attention. Alex grabbed Salazar and pulled him in front of him, holding his gun to Salazar's neck.

"I'll make you an offer. We take Salazar outside, we get in our car, you take him into custody. That way, we all win", Nina spoke up. Jason knew all about the pair, and knew that Nina Myers did not mess around. The Myers siblings started to move slowly around the apartment, with Salazar as a human shield. All three of the FBI agents had a look of disgust on their faces as the pair moved past them and out of the apartment. As Alex, Nina and Esteban went into the elevator, Mazwell, Blaine and Ocho ran down the stairs, hoping that the Myers siblings would keep their end of the deal. They really didn't care if Salazar was dead or alive, but if he could be caught alive, he could provide them with information that could potentially disable or even destroy some of the biggest Mexican drug cartels. The final act of the play was acted out outside. As Nina climbed into the car, Alex order Salazar to kneel down next to it with his hands behind his head. Noticing the FBI agents coming out of the building, he jumped into the car and the pair sped off, leaving Salazar to be taken into custody. Not sure whether it was a victory or a defeat, Alex felt that the best possible outcome, that noone died, had been achieved. Like the FBI agents, he wasn't bothered about the life of Esteban Salazar, but he didn't want murder to be added to his criminal record.

"Do you, Chase Joel Edmunds, take this woman, Kimberley Mary Bauer, to be your lawfully wedded wife?", the priest asked Chase.

"I do", he replied. This was probably one of the best days of his life. He was marrying the woman he had so much love for.

"Do you, Kimberley Mary Bauer, take this man, Chase Joel Edmunds, to be your lawfully wedded husband?", the priest asked Kim.

"I do", she replied. The wedding was perfect but, for Kim, it had one major flaw, the absence of her mother. The night before, she had been depressed about this, but her father had assured her that her mother was looking down on her and that she would be there in spirit.

"You may kiss the bride", the priest announced, and Chase and Kim kissed each other lovingly and with thoughts of the future in their hearts and minds.

A few days later, and a reminder of the past walked into CTU. Milo Pressman, a former outside contractor who had last been in CTU on the day of Teri Bauer's murder, had returned and was now a full CTU intelligence agent. As he walked through the building, he noticed just how different the place was after it's renovation. Michelle, who had returned to work just a month earlier, greeted him and introduced him to the other agents present.

The sun was high in the sky over Phoenix, and Alex had to shield his eyes from it's relentless glare as he watched Nina talk on her phone. It was a very unusual call, and Alex had been surprised to hear her mention CTU a couple of times. As she hung up, Alex asked her who she was talking to.

"Someone who will be of great use to us, Alex. it's probably best if you don't know too much for now", she told him. If everything went to plan, she would be able to stay two or even three steps ahead of CTU.


	12. Angst

_**5 months after Chapter Eleven**_

_**3 years, 5 months after Day Three**_

_**1 year, 5 months before Day Six**_

In deep contrast to the boiling sunshine of Phoenix that they had basked in just a few months earlier, New York was overcast and bleak. The roads were full of cars and the air full of people's voices and incessant car horns. Alex and Nina were in their apartment, which overlooked Central Park. Deep in thought, Nina looked out over the city with sad eyes, and Alex noticed her melancholy state.

"Nina? Are you OK?", he enquired, worried about his sister, someone who very rarely showed such emotions as sadness and who tried their hardest to hide their feelings. She glanced up at him and looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

"No, I'm not OK, Alex. I just need some time alone", she replied, hoping that he would take the hint.

"What's the matter?", Alex asked her, more out of empathy than concern. Nina reacted badly to this.

"It doesn't matter!", she snarled, before getting up and leaving the room. Alex was now even more concerned, but decided to give her the time alone she wanted.

"Everyone, can you please make your way to the exits in a calm, orderly fashion!", Bill Buchanan called out to the CTU staff. A bomb threat had been called in to CTU and, after the bomb attack on CTU several years ago, he didn't want to take any chances. Outside, the CTU agents were quietly gossiping about the evacuation and debating the cause. Bill had decided not to divulge any information, so as not to cause a panic. As he himself walked out of CTU, he called Division on his phone for an update.

"This is Bill Buchanan at CTU Los Angeles. What more can you tell me about this bomb threat?", he enquired in a clam voice.

"I must apologise Mr Buchanan, but it appears that the threat was a malicious hoax", the voice, which had a deep New York accent, on the other end told him, much to his annoyance.

"A hoax?! Who would call in a bomb threat?", he asked, his voice now tinged with anger.

"We don't know yet, sir. I assure you we will ensure that this doesn't happen again". As Bill announced the hoax to his staff, he was glad that none of his staff would be harmed that day. he had heard all about the various tragedies that had taken place inside what seemed to be a cursed building, and he was adamant that no new tragedies would occur on his watch.

An hour or so after she had gone in there, Nina reappeared from her bedroom. her eyes were red and it was obvious that she had been crying, although she would have denied it if anyone had asked her. She sat down and, for a few minutes, lost herself in her thoughts.

"There is something wrong, Alex", Nina stated. She was plucking up the courage to tell him.

"What is it, Nina?", Alex asked, his voice soft and sympathetic.

"I never told anyone this, Alex, and I didn't think I would be affected by it all these years later", Nina replied, trying hard not to start crying again.

"You can tell me, Nina", Alex assured her. He wondered what could possibly have upset her so much.

"The last time I was in New York was when I was in college", she told him. It had been a hot summer back in 1995 when the 20 year old Nina had visited some friends in New York.

"I found out something, Alex. I found out I was pregnant", she confessed, her face showing the relief she felt at telling someone. Alex looked shocked at this news, and possible theories in his head as to what happened were unwelcome.

"I lost the baby, Alex! I miscarried it!", she revealed, her voice barely above a whisper. Alex sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

"I'm so sorry, Nina", he consoled her. Miscarriages were common in their family. He had remembered the time when his mother had miscarried. She had, for months afterwards, been so depressed and Alex had hated how it had affected her. Alex noticed warm tears falling silently down Nina's angular cheeks, and wished he knew how to make her feel better.

It was a stereotypically wet day in Cambridge, England and Jane Saunders was glad that her umbrella had not yet been damaged by the strong gust that rustled the leaves of the huge old trees in the cemetary she had come to visit. It was on the outskirts of the city, and it seemed to stretch for miles in every direction. As she reached her father's grave, she took a deep breath before standing front of it. The headstone was a simple one, black marble with golden engraved letters bearing his name and the years of his birth and death. This was the first time Jane had been to his grave, having missed the funeral out of personal choice, and even now she was only there out of respect for her father. As she placed the flowers onto the dark, wet soil of the grave, her hazel eyes welled with tears.


	13. Connection

_**5 months after Chapter Twelve**_

_**3 years, 10 months after Day Three**_

_**1 year before Day Six**_

Quickly hanging up and trying to hide all traces of guilt, Nina's source within CTULA returned to his station. He had thought that the deserted corridor he had chosen as a venue for his calls to Nina would stay that way, but a couple of redshirts had walked past him just as he was talking to Nina. Once of them had glanced at him with a look of curiosity, but they had soon passed him by without incident. Wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into, he chucked the phone back onto his desk and returned to work of a far less dangerous nature.

Nina mentally stored the information her friend within CTU has just supplied her. The information itself wasn't much, but it would give her enough to stay a few steps ahead of CTU, and Jack Bauer. Determined never to fall into their hands again, Nina wanted to make sure that she exploited all possibilities and ensure that valuable information was accessible to her.

He had always wanted to be a father, and Tony couldn't help but grin broadly as his two small children, Teri Paula and Jack George, splashed each other with water and giggled delightedly as they did so. Tony and Michelle had taken their two children to the local pool, and they had quickly gotten used to the water. It was because of their children that Tony and Michelle were considering leaving CTU and starting their own private security firm. They knew it would take a while for any such plan to come to fruition, and they hoped that they would leave CTU alive and well, having seem so many tragedies unfold there.

A tiny city compared to the nearby metropolis of New York City, Boston had a lot of memories for Alex and Nina. Their father was a native Bostonian, and Nina had been born there. Having spent much of their childhood in the city, it was a thankfully familiar place to be for the siblings. Being a small place, it reflected a small world and the pair were suspicious of the woman who had come up to them in the street. She had introduced herself as Jane Saunders, and Nina knew exactly who Jane Saunders was, and who she was the daughter of. Recalling the virus auction, she remembered that it had been Amador's plan all along to sell the Cordilla virus to Saunders, and the auction had been nothing more than a scam, which had almost got her killed. There was an uneasy silence between the trio and for a minute they stood there, a rock in the river of people that flowed down into the ocean of skyscrapers.

"I'm glad you're alive, Nina", Jane said. She was glad, no doubt about it, that the greed of Michael Amador had not claimed Nina as a victim. It was bad enough that her father had died because of the virus, and she had heard rumour about the events of that night in Las Nieves. Nina didn't seem to believe her, but gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"I heard you got to know Jack Bauer that day", Nina said, wondering what had indeed gone on that morning.

"As long as I don't have to go through anything like that again, I'll be happy", Jane commented, indeed glad that it was quickly over. Again, silence fell and Jane broke it once more.

"You two planning on running forever?", she commented, naturally curious.

"Depends on how you define running, Jane", Alex replied. Although it wasn't exactly a life of luxury, he was starting to get used to the nomadic lifestyle of a fugitive, and he had no intention of giving up, knowing that he would probably spend the rest of his life in a federal prison, a life which would probably end with his execution as a traitor. He knew that Nina had even less choice on whether to keep running or not, and if Jack Bauer ever caught her, that would be the end for her.

"Is it better than your life before, Alex? You had a stable job, you weren't involved in illegal activities, yet you gave it all away", Jane enquired.

"Blood is thicker than water, Jane", was his simple reply.


	14. Past, Present, Future

_**7 months after Chapter Thirteen**_

_**4 years, 5 months after Day Three**_

_**5 months before Day Six**_

Normally those on the lam would never dream of going too close to those who were after them, but Alex and Nina were no ordinary fugitives, and Oakland seemed a safe enough place. Stood inside a warehouse where they would set up a base for Nina's employers. Annoyed at the sudden request for her assistance, she had almost refused, but had decided not to make more enemies than she could keep at arm's length. The warehouse was not much to look at - it was a small barn-like structure, with grey metallic walls and dusty windows. Inside the warehouse was totally empty except for a few old crates and the odd rat.

In Valencia, Kim and Chase had their eye on a far more desirable property, having just bought their first home in the town. Sheltered from the sun by palm trees, the posh home had a large garden surrounding it. The windows were large and let plenty of light into the spacious rooms, and the inside was designed for maximum comfort for the occupants. Standing in the doorway, they shared a lingering kiss, christening their new home as they looked forward to a blissful marriage. A universe away from the world of counter-terrorism, Valencia was a place where they both hoped to live an happy life and to raise a family. Having left CTU behind for good, Kim and Chase considered that to be a finished chapter in their life, and a new one was being written.

A continent and a few hours away, Chloe O'Brien was stood outside Jack Bauer's apartment, building up the courage to knock on the door. She had not seen Jack for some months, and was anxious to meet her friend again and, as she finally knocked gently on the door, she hoped that he would be glad to see her. Jack's face lit up as he opened the door and saw his trusted friend again. Inviting her in, he remembered the experiences they had shared back at CTU.

"It's good to see you again, Jack", Chloe said. She hoped that she didn't appear too eager.

"Likewise, Chloe", he replied. Chloe had been such a supportive friend over the past few years and he always loved to have the opportunity to talk to her.

"CTU's been quiet lately", she told him, although she had a good idea that he didn't want to know or talk about CTU.

"Makes a change", he replied. His life at CTU had been like a storm, and he wanted nothing more than to have a calm life. CTU had robbed him of so much and changed him fundamentally, and he knew that the place had scarred him on so many different levels.

Kim was walking past the spare bedroom when she heard a voice. Peering through the small space left by the slightly ajar door, she noticed Chase talking on his phone in what sounded like Spanish. Curious as to who he was on the phone to, she waited until he had finished before making an excuse to talk to him and entering the room. He just managed not to look guilty as he turned around to look at Kim as he walked in.

"Hi Chase. Who were you on the phone to?", she asked with a natural tone to her voice.

"Just some Mexican guy I knew a few years ago", he replied, hoping that Kim would believe him. It was somewhat true, although he hoped that he would never have to reveal the truth to her. It was for her sake that he was doing it, and he felt that it was best if she just didn't know the details, or of his involvement. He studied her face and was relieved to see that she believed him.

"Hmm, OK. I was just wondering, maybe we should just order a takeaway tonight, seeing as this is our first night here?", she replied with the excuse.

"Sounds good to me", he replied, whilst making a mental note to be more careful not to let her catch him talking about the plan.

The celebrations were just beginning and for Wayne Palmer, the moment marked a gleaming milestone in his life. He and his supporters had worked tirelessly for this outcome and, as he approached the stage for his victory speech, he felt proud of his achievements. There had been some negative reactions when he had announced his intention to run for the Democratic Party's Presidential candidacy, and many had accused him of exploiting his brother's term in office, but he had won their hearts and minds, and now he was just one step away from the White House.


	15. Out Of Luck

_**5 months after Chapter Fourteen**_

_**4 years, 10 months after Day Three**_

_**Three days before Day Six**_

"So, we're finished here now?, Alex enquired hopefully. The warehouse was now fairly secure and Nina's employers had gone to great lengths to keep everything nice and legal, at least on the outside. Leaving the warehouse, Alex and Nina were ready to leave Oakland. Their job there was complete and both were more than happy to move on.

"Yeah, finally", a relieved Nina replied.

"Where to next?", Alex asked. he was hoping to move much further away from Los Angeles, and he was anxious that they had registered on CTULA's radar.

Alex was right to be anxious, as CTULA was an hive of activity. A small group of agents, who included Tony, Michelle, Chloe, Bill and Curtis were in the conference room discussing tactics.

"I say we just send in a tac team and take them out", an energised Tony suggested. he was determined not to let this chance slip out of their hands.

"Take them out? Do we not want them alive?", Chloe questioned. She knew that the siblings might haev information of great value to them and so was sure that taking them alive would be the best course of action.

"What about Jack?", Michelle asked, which caused the room to fall silent and it's occupants to look at her.

"Nah, I don't want Jack involved. Unless we get a result, he isn't to know about this", Tony said, convinced that it would only hurt Jack if he was to find out that they had missed a huge chance to capture the Myers siblings. Michelle didn't argue with him, knowing why he wanted to protect Jack, but she couldn't help but wonder how much better their chances would be if they had Jack's help.

The atmosphere in the apartment Alex and Nina lived in was far more sedate. Nina was busy studying a huge map of North America, muttering to herself as she debated where their next destination would be. Her employers had informed her that they would contact her again in the future, but Nina knew that that could mean months or even years.

"Canada", she confirmed to herself aloud, catching Alex's attention.

"Canada?", he asked, wondering what there was in Canada that swayed Nina's decision.

"Yeah, and from there we'll go to Europe, probably Germany again", she replied, mentally mapping her plan for the next few weeks. She knew that because of her contact with her employers, she would have to lie low for a while and that meant getting off the continent. Alex knew that Nina loved Germany and that she always felt at home there.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning. Before we go, would you check the warehouse one last time? My employers will be sending a few of their men there to take it over", Nina asked.

It was getting dark in California, and the CTU operation to capture the Myers siblings was being planned out. A tac team led by Curtis would fly to Oakland in the morning and surround the warehouse where, according to their intel, Alex and Nina had been seen. The primary target was Nina, with Alex a secondary target. The tac team had been instructed to catch the targets alive, but had been told to use force if they were met with any resistance. As Tony and Michelle left CTU for the night, to go home to their children, they remembered their experiences of Alex and Nina Myers.

Even deeper into the night, and both Alex and Nina were asleep. They had finalised their plans for the day to come and even their dreams did not give them any clue as to how the following day would unfold.

As the night sky died away and the sun returned to Oakland, Alex was stood outside the warehouse. He had just been greeted by three men, who were much taller than the average sized Alex. Two of them were German, whilst the other was an American who sounded like he came from deepest Texas, and all three had handguns concealed in their jackets. Alex was waiting for Nina to arrive with the car, but he noticed that another vehicle was heading towards them quickly. Shouting to the men to get their weapons ready, he stared hard at the truck and his face grew even paler than usual when he saw the yellow letters on the side of the vehicle - CTU. Unarmed and knowing all too well how CTU tac teams worked, he hid behind a crate, hoping to stay out of harms way.

_**Author's Note - This marks the end of TTW. The story continues in Alex:Redefined.**_


End file.
